Kenya: Sport Hunting Ban to Continue
The Nation (Nairobi)
November 9, 2006
Posted to the web November 9, 2006
Patrick Nzioka
Nairobi
The Government has ruled out lifting the ban on sport hunting.
Vice-President Moody Awori said the country should conserve wildlife because it was among few places in the world where animals species had not been depleted.
Industrialist Manu Chandaria welcomes Vice-president Moody Awori at Kenya Wildlife Service headquarters yesterday when the VP received Sh10 million donation from the International Fund for Animal Welfare to boost construction of a 150-kilometre electric fence in Laikipia. Mr Chandaria is a member of the fund's board of directors. Photo/Franklin Okutoyi
Therefore, the number of animals cannot be reduced through hunting or artificial culling.
Instead, the animals should be left to regulate their numbers naturally as in the past, said Mr Awori.
"We have a responsibility to look after wildlife for the benefit of Kenyans and the whole world. There should be no sport hunting or artificial culling of the animals. Instead, we should allow nature to regulate the numbers to ensure the numbers are well-balanced with the environment and guard against climate change", the VP said.
Mr Awori spoke at the Kenya Wildlife Services offices yesterday when he received vehicles and equipment for capturing animals donated by the International Fund for Animal Welfare(IFAW).
The fund has been supporting KWS in conservation programmes in Tsavo national park under the Tsavo Conservation Area Project since 2002.
The organisation further donated Sh10 million towards the Laikipia West Fence project aimed at preventing human- wildlife conflict.
Yesterday, Mr Awori said tourists should not be allowed to drive too close to animals during safaris in order to protect wildlife.
And use of balloons in protected areas should be controlled because they had a negative effect on the reproduction of large mammals.
He called on local authorities dealing with wildlife to let KWS to scientifically manage the animals because it had enough experts.
Such councils would also benefit through increased revenue as a result of the good management, he said.
The VP called on the team reviewing the wildlife policy to ensure it addresses challenges facing the country in the management of animals.
He also noted that illegal trade in bush meat trade at the Tsavo had reduced as a result of the conservation programme between KWS and and the fund.
The fund's president, Mr Fredrick O'regan supported the VP on the ban saying it would be difficult for the Government to regulate the sport which, he added, was elitist and of no benefit to local communities.
Wildlife in the country, he added, was threatened by climate change as well as illegal trading in bush meat and lifting the ban would worsen the situation.
Mr O'regan also called for alternative methods to reduce the human- wildlife conflict.
KWS director Julius Kipngetich said any issue to be included in the policy should be guided by evidence that it would promote conservation.
On his part, Laikipia West G.G Kariuki expressed doubt whether the team would finish the review on schedule.
